Currently it is conventional on board commercial aircraft to use a steam oven arranged in the galley of the aircraft for preparing hot meals for the passengers. In this case ready meals that are normally supplied by a catering service are put in the steam oven and are subjected therein to the action of hot steam. Consequently the ready meals are supplied with both the water and heat which are required to bring the set meals into a ready-to-serve state. The use of a conventional steam oven to prepare hot meals on board an aircraft has the drawback that a relatively large amount of water is required to operate the steam oven and this has to be stored in a tank in the heated region of the aircraft so it is prevented from freezing.
DE 196 26 955 A1 describes a convection oven provided for use in an aircraft galley and which comprises a water trough that can be heated and is connected to a water reservoir at the galley side.
From DE 103 09 506 A1 is known an apparatus for heating meals which is provided for use in an aircraft and comprises at least one induction coil for generating an electromagnetic alternating field.
DE 198 21 952 C2 discloses an energy supply unit on board an aircraft in which a main engine generator, an auxiliary power unit, a ram air turbine or a NiCd battery is replaced by a PEM fuel cell. Water obtained from the exhaust flow of the fuel cell can be used to supply the aircraft's own water system.
DE 103 56 012 A1 relates to an arrangement for generating water on board an aircraft which comprises a fuel cell supplied with air and water.
DE 103 60 303 A1 describes a heating system for use in a galley of an aircraft. The heating system comprises electrical heating elements and a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the supply of electrical energy to the heating elements from a d.c. power source or a fuel cell.